Colombo, March 24: There is a delay in printing school textbooks due to the shortage of paper and other related accessories, Sri Lanka's Educational Publications Department Commissioner General P.N. Ilaperuma said, Daily Mirror reported.

He told the Daily Mirror that there is also a delay in the distribution of printed textbooks to schools due to the current fuel crisis in the country. "The present power interruption has made a significant impact on textbook printing." Printing of textbooks in the days before the Covid-19 pandemic was not an issue.

"Several sections of the state printing corporation and private printers have closed due to COVID pandemic. Therefore, the completion of the projects were delayed. However, 45 per cent of the school text books were printed at the state Printing Corporation," he said, as per the report. Some 38 million text books are to be distributed among the schoolchildren in Sri Lanka. He stated that 32.5 million textbooks would be printed this year. Early Elections Are a Possibility in Pakistan, Says Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.

The government has spent Rs 2,338 million on printing text books, including those books which have been given to the children. Textbooks were distributed to provincial book stores and directly to several schools for a total of 34.8 million (91.8 per cent). There are 31.6 million (97 per cent) text books to be printed. However, the Publications Department is to print the remaining text books before the next school term begins.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 24, 2022 04:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).